HOBOKEN -- Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer was interviewed on NPR Monday morning about her proposed solutions to hurricanes flooding in the city, including microgenerators to keep high rises running during a storm, and floodgates.

"I'd rather have walls around a city to protect it rather than have a city that's destroyed," she says.

A professor and oceanographer at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken also weighed in, as did a member of the Riverkeeper foundation.

You can listen to the interview http://www.npr.org/2013/02/25/172858141/hoboken-mayor-proposes-universal-solution-to-flooding. The segment runs 3 minutes and 46 seconds.

Christie says American Dream construction to begin this quarter

Gov. Christopher Christie said last week during a press conference in Little Ferry that construction on the American Dream project in the Meadowlands, formerly Xanadu, will start this quarter.

The $3.7 billion American Dream project, off of Route 3 by the MetLife Stadium, includes a mega mall, entertainment center, and indoor ski park.

“I am convinced that in the first quarter of 2013 construction will start on American Dream,” said Christie. “I am convinced that will happen.”

He said negotiations between the New York Giants and New York Jets, who own MetLife Stadium, which is next to the American Dream site, and the Triple Five Developers are down to one issue.

The professional sports teams sought an injunction last June to prevent the developer Triple Five from reviving the project, which has been stalled since 2009 due to financial woes. The lawsuit filed in a state court in Bergen County alleged that Triple Five did not receive their consent to expand the project and also cited traffic impacts.

However, the judge said that the teams could go back to court once the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority’s approval process was complete.

Hudson County CASA recruiting to help foster kids

Hudson County CASA, a non-profit organization, is currently recruiting volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to insure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and its volunteers speak for children in court, serve as fact finders for the judges and safeguard the interests of the children while they are in the foster care system.

An information session for those interested will be held on Tuesday, March 5, at 6 p.m. in Room #400 of the Hudson County Administration Building, located 595 Newark Avenue, Jersey City.

Hudson County has nearly 700 children in foster care; most have been removed from their homes for abuse or neglect. For further information, please call (201) 795-9855, e-mail mgarcia@hudsoncountycasa.org or visit our website at www.hudsoncountycasa.org.

Hudson County Community College celebrating sixth annual community literacy day

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) announced this week that it will hold its Sixth Annual Literacy & Family Day on Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the college’s Culinary Arts Institute/Conference Center, located at 161 Newkirk Street, just two blocks from the Journal Square PATH Station in Jersey City. There is no charge for admission, but all children must be accompanied by an adult.

HCCC President Dr. Glen Gabert said the event, which is prepared and presented by the college’s Academic Affairs Division and the Culinary Conference Center, is an annual celebration of the birthday of Theodore Seuss Geisel, who is better known to generations of Americans as Dr. Seuss, author of Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat and 44 more beloved children’s books.

The event will include a whole host of interactive activities for children of all ages, including a Dr. Seuss Reading Theatre, a preschool reading station, game table, arts and crafts, Dr. Seuss-themed refreshments and giveaways.

“This is a great opportunity for families from all over the County to come together for a lot of fun, and more importantly to teach our youngest children about the importance of reading,” Dr. Gabert said. “It’s also one of the few family events to be found that is free,” he added.